On Top//Topper Thornton

five

"That's not my name," Wheezie tells me.

I ruffle her hair. "No way." I turn back to Topper and kiss him. "Hey, been looking all over for you."

"Ugh. God," Wheezie says.

Topper and I head up to the roof of the house. "You're lookin' a little unstable there." I tease as Topper crawls out the window.

Topper sits down next to me. "All right. It's worth it for this view right here."

I gesture out to the hurricane torn yard. "Oh, you mean, that?"

"Oh, you too. No, you too," Topper tells me. We both laugh. "Oh, man. Hey, uh... I heard you had a Pogue kinda sneakin' around here this mornin'."

I look at him surprised. "Who told you that?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter. Um... Yeah. It's just like, you gotta be careful. These Pogues are all just lowlifes, I mean..." Topper starts.

I shake my head. "Don't say that, Topper. You don't know them."

"Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that, uh... I'm sorry that they put a gun to my head. You know what that feels like?" Topper asks.

"No, I don't. But to be fair, Topper..." I start.

"They're dangerous," Topper states.

"To be fair, you threw the first punch," I remind him.

"Oh. That's my bad. That's my... I deserved that," Topper says.

"I didn't say that," I state.

"Shit. You realize I'm just trying to protect you?" Topper tells me.

"I know, and I appreciate that. I get it," I assure him.

"I don't think you're gettin' it. You just gonna go hang out with them?" Topper asks.

"Topper, John B and JJ have been my friends since I was ten. What do you want me to do?" I ask.

"John B. Yeah. Yeah," Topper says.

"What do you expect from me? Hand signals?" I ask. I wave my arms around dramatically.

"I don't know. I'm sorry that I just... just care about you," Topper tells me.

I shake my head as I sigh. "We've already been over this, Top. And I don't want to fight."

"Neither do I," Topper admits. I grab his hand. "What are you doing the rest of the day?"

"Probably gonna hang out in the cut. Maybe rob a bank." Topper gives me a look. "I'm kidding." I smile. "Mostly." Topper shakes his head. "I promise you I'll be fine." I kiss Topper before getting up. "I'll see you later."

I hop in my car and drive out to JJ's house. He smiles when he sees me in his driveway.

"Get in, loser," I remark.

JJ shakes his head as he walks towards the car. "Where are we going?"

"John B's," I tell him.

JJ leans on the open window. "This about the compass?" JJ questions.

I nod my head. "Did you think we were gonna let John B do this alone?"

JJ smiles as he walks around the car. "Pouge's never abandon Pouge's." JJ hops into the passenger seat.

JJ slams his fist hard on John B's front door. "DCS! I know you're in there!" He waits a moment before jumping in front of the window and slamming on it.

John B looks terrified. "Whoa!"

JJ laughs. "Gotcha, slick." He laughs even harder. "You should have seen your face. Your face was like..."